A/N: Okay... I think some people will hate me for this chapter (especially the Cloud fan girls) I'll apologize now. I am very very sorry.

Chapter 13: Damage

Normal POV

The group had split up. Yazoo and Loz took their bikes and went into Midgar to see as much on Cloud's life as possible, and Ria and Kadaj were going to Shin-Ra's home laboratory to investigate some more.

"Kadaj?" Ria piped up while seated behind Kadaj on his motorcycle. "Since you pretty much ruined my life, what do you want from me now?"

"Right now, I want you to come with me and get more answers from Shin-Ra on those computers. Hiding Mother is something they've always been very good at." Kadaj replied with obvious cockiness to his voice. "Just shut up and try to keep yourself alive."

The motorbike sped up some more, accelerating to 200mph and it did nothing but made Ria even more sick. She was still thinking about what had happened last night. She fell asleep in Kadaj's arms and she didn't even question him about it in the morning—as awkward as she felt around him now. At least she woke up alone the next morning, and with another sanction order of three minutes to get ready. She'd decided that with Cloud's trust or not, she'd still try and stop the Remnants from getting their hands on Jenova. She'd give it her best shot even if it meant her last. She knew that Cloud and the others were probably planning now.

vVvVv

"Is anyone home?" Ria asked casually, and Kadaj was silent for a couple of seconds before dismounting his motorcycle.

"No one's home as usual," he sighed, disgruntled and beckoned Ria to come with him.

The brunette followed behind quite sluggishly than was necessary. Normally, she would've run away by now; would've dashed into the trees and get as far from them as possible, but no. There was nothing left to go back for—remembering how he'd broken existing ties with her friends with just a kiss. It was a bit of her own fault too. She had subtly given in and followed the voice inside her head, telling her to respond.

This time, instead of breaking down the door, Kadaj just picked the lock in five seconds. The door swung open, and they both quietly headed to the lab without much scuffle. And to her credit, Kadaj was actually surprised at her silence. He smirked. He sure did a pretty good job at ruining her life. Maybe he should do it more often.

"We'll have to make this quick. Shin-Ra doesn't stay out for long even if he spends most of his time in Healin." Kadaj stated without sparing Ria a glance.

They quickly booted up the computer, and typed in the password.

"Damn," Ria cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" Kadaj asked quietly, turning from his spot where he was casually leafing through some files.

"They changed the password." Ria huffed impatiently.

Remembering the last time they had been in a similar situation, Kadaj contemplated everything for the moment. Ria and Yazoo talked about finding things in the room that had something to do with the code. Was there any possible reminder in the room they were in now? Just to make sure, Kadaj checked the places the last time they had found the plaques. Like he guessed, the plaques were nowhere to be seen.

"Help me look for it?" Kadaj suggested upon seeing Ria's spaced out expression in front of the glowing screen.

"There are more ways of hiding remembrances of a password than just placing it around the room. Shin-Ra knows that just in case you guys ever raid his lab again, you won't find a way..." Ria explained.

"What do you mean 'you'?" Kadaj interjected sharply, anger flashing in his serpentine Mako eyes.

"You and your gang," Ria placed her head in her hands, "We can't do anything about it now, can we? Why don't we just give up this search of yours?"

Rage. And Ria was too late to take notice of the backhanded slap Kadaj had landed on her face. The brunette fell to the floor in a heap, the young Remnant staring at her, eyes full of unkempt wrath. She grunted and risked a glance up at the handsome face glowering down at her. Kadaj's pupils had transformed into vertical slits that were much thinner and looked more dangerous than his usual. The veil of silver hair hanging at the right side of his face added more danger to his feline features.

"You will do as I say, and not question me any more than my brothers do. You're mine now!" He yelled and reached down, taking her arm and forcing her to her feet.

"You ruined my one hell of a life already. Do you even have any idea of what I've been through?" She yelled defiantly at him, and for a second, his features softened like he understood, but it disappeared in a second.

"And you're one ***k of a talker too aren't you? The hell I care of what you've been through! Finding Mother is what's important, and I won't let some... some... idiotic, naïve girl lead me astray!"

Kadaj couldn't believe the words pouring from his mouth. For a second there, he thought he was going to falter. It was strange now. Her emotions begin flooding his head rampantly, and static-filled images came into his mind. One that stood out was of a blood bathed girl in a battlefield, and he also felt like he was going to cry.

Kadaj stared at her, and saw the thin wet streaks running down her cheeks. His eyes widened in bewilderment. The feeling of crying wasn't his after all: it was hers. She was shaking her head, with a hand covering her mouth. She turned her back to him, and even thought of running away like it was some lovers' quarrel, but it wasn't.

He growled, a low and menacing sound, and kicked the computer, ignoring it as it shut down completely by the surreal might of a Remnant's foot.

"Now that'sone hell of a spat."

Alert, and back on track, Kadaj whirled around to face Reno and Rude with a taser in the redhead's hand, tapping it against his shoulder.

With a fierce battle cry, the redhead lunged for the silver-haired teen, but as quick as lightning, he had dissipated into black mist that hovered over the entire room, depriving the people in it to see what was actually happening.

The next thing heard was Rude's heavy grunt of pain as he was hurled to the floor. Reno blinked a couple of times as if he'd been hit by a stun gun. Kadaj was still nowhere in sight, and so it surprised the Turk when he materialized behind him in a thin veil of black mist. Drawing his Souba, the Remnant prepared to deliver a death blow when Ria cried out.

"Kadaj, no!" She screamed and the two men stared at her in shock. Ria ignored their reactions. "Hold him down for me. I'm going to ask him a few questions."

vVvVv

"Deliria?!" Reno inquired from his imprisonment to a chair. "What are youdoing with him?"

Kadaj watched the scene in a neutral expression. Rude had been knocked out, so he shouldn't cause much trouble.

"You don't know yet? I'll explain afteryou give me the correct answers."

Reno didn't say anything. Ria swallowed hard for a minute. This was it. She was going to take the opportunity provided, and demand for some answers. The Turks are Shin-Ra's personal bodyguards; therefore, they should know at least about the Agents who were taken down.

"To start, what happened to the other Agents who were sent out on missions after Meteor?"

Kadaj smirked at her tone of interrogation. If he was being honest with himself, he actually found it hot. She was questioning Reno like she was some top deputy head officer who was going to rip his fingernails of any moment. He bit his lip, keeping himself in check. He needed control, and he needed it now.

"You weren't with them?" Reno asked, full of bewilderment.

Ria did an eye roll. "Would I be standing here interrogating you if I did?"

Reno just stared, and the brunette sighed. "They all died. You know that. You're a Turk!" she accused, but the obnoxious redhead stayed quiet.

"Are you going to answer me or do I have to use all the interrogation training you've taught me?" Ria demanded in a descending town.

"We don't have any further reports. All Shin-Ra has is info that their missions failed. Most were murdered, but a small percentage just vanished." Reno explained with nonchalance that made the Agent want to slap him.

"What about the five of us left?"

"I-"

Reno was going to answer when a sudden sound of hurried footsteps began resounding in the hall. Kadaj instantly recognized who the two other intruders were. The Remnant leader reached into his pocket and fished out his phone to call the two others. Yazoo and Loz needed to be here. The moment of truth was coming and it was their chance to know where Mother was.

Rufus and Cloud entered the laboratory and were wearing bewildered expressions upon seeing the two Turks, the Remnant leader, and Ria in one room.

"So you areworking with him aren't you?" Cloud spoke up.

Kadaj smirked from his place at Ria's visible grimace. Ria turned to the blonde man who was standing next to the company president, gripping his Fusion sword tightly in one hand.

"Cloud. You have to understand." Ria glanced at Kadaj from her peripheral vision.

Crossing her fingers mentally, she hoped with all her might that Cloud would listen to her honest explanations, because after she would lay out the full plan, Kadaj was sure to name her a traitor and gladly kill her. Cloud had to listen to her. He had to. For everyone's sake.

"Kadaj... He... tricked you. I'm not working with him. How could I? You and Tifa are the only family I've ever had. Why would I betray you? Kadaj is using me against you. I've been going along with them for two weeks because he threatened me, and I know what his plans are. I want to help you Cloud. I've been going along with whatever Kadaj is telling me to do just so I can stop him." Ria finished in one breath, and couldn't take it any longer. Cloud had to believe her. If he didn't, then she was sure dead meat.

"From the beginning, I knew you were working on treachery, but I guess I underestimated your thinking. I thought I had you. I'll kill you!" Kadaj seethed, his grip on Souba was tightening as he glowered at the girl who cowered at his burning glare.

She deserved death, and she had been practically begging for it from his hand since the day they met. Cloud was still contemplating, and Shin-Ra was obviously on edge. Reno was staring from his spot tied down to a chair.

"Then I'll fight. It's not like it matters. You've always wanted to kill me! Hell, you threaten me everyday!" Ria yelled at him, but everyone froze when Cloud spoke.

"I trusted you Ria. It takes years to build trust, but I've learned that it only takes suspicion—not proof—to break it." Cloud calmly stated, and Ria was in shock, but the blonde just ignored her. "I saw how you reacted when he did thatto you. Sorry Ria. Whether you're telling the truth or not, I'll never know now."

How could Cloud be so calloused and reserved? It was so selfish. Ria longed to scream at him. Kadaj ruined her life, and yeah... she'd rather be killed right now. A tear streaked down Ria's one eye at their insensitive remarks.

"Cloud... I-I don't understand," the brunette whispered.

"I can't risk the life of so many others just for one." Cloud shook his head, raising his weapon ready for battle.

Rufus pulled a shot gun from the folds of his suit and began shooting at the silver haired teen that dodged the bullets expertly; avoiding every kind of blow directed his way. The Remnant leader made a mad slash at Shin-Ra, ripping a part of his suit sending it to the floor in tattered form.

Cloud rushed over to help, and Ria jumped into the fight as well, taking no one's side but hers. With a fierce cry of determination and with the help of her training, the brunette placed a well-aimed kick at Kadaj's ribs. The teen reeled back in pain but recovered instantly as he blocked a blow from Cloud's sword. Glancing around, he hurled a jar of whatnot at Cloud.

"I'm calling for backup!" Shin-Ra yelled over the noise and Cloud nodded once. Kadaj growled.

He was alone. Sure he could take Reno and Rude easily, but not all of them all at once. Rude was still unconscious after being dealt with and Reno was still tied, but it was only a matter of time before the Turk would manage to escape. Where were Yazoo and Loz?

With quick accuracy, the Remnant slashed a blow against Ria's side, drawing quite a lot of blood as she fell on the bleach tiled floors. Kadaj glanced at her and felt some of the pain transferring to him, but he ignored it. He didn't care. She did nothing but slow them down. He had been wrong to want her help. He might as well just end her life now.

He turned back to Cloud and noticed for the first time, the condition of the lab. It was messy now, like a hurricane had jumbled the inside. Shin-Ra was gone, and the Turks, Cloud, and Kadaj were alone. With a chuckle, Kadaj leaped and dismantled the fluorescent lights on the ceiling with a swipe of his Souba. Cloud dodged out of the way just in time, but didn't see the well aimed uppercut the younger opponent dealt on him.

Cloud grunted and growled at the pain searing on his jaw. He stumbled back a step and recovered his footing, still clutching his aching jaw. At that moment, a gunshot was heard and the blonde barely missed the bullet that had grazed his shoulder, drawing a bit of dark blood.

"Yazoo!" Kadaj yelled in recognition.

Yazoo had proven to be a good distraction for Cloud, and the ex-SOLDIER promptly hit the younger Remnant's head with the flat of his sword.

"S***!" Kadaj cursed and fell to the floor in utter shock.

Cloud prepared to deliver a death blow, but a blur of blue motion was suddenly visible, and Cloud was thrown back to the opposite wall by a swift Loz. The blonde gingerly rubbed the back of his head, and baring his teeth in frustration, rose to his feet while gripping his wounded shoulder. The fighters' heads snapped to the lab's entrance where the sound of more than a dozen footsteps can be heard.

Kadaj quickly made a check on Cloud's condition from his distance. He won't be able to follow them now. He'd been beaten badly, and he's still weak from Geostigma. Reno was still struggling against his bonds. They'd have to go now.

"Do we fight 'til we've killed them all or should we retreat?" Yazoo asked calmly.

"I don't like it, but we need to retreat for now. Let's go!"

Without another word, the Remnants left the lab through a hole in the wall, with Ria slung over Loz's shoulder.

"What do we do with her?" Loz asked once they were in their parked motorcycles.

"I'll make sure she doesn't remember a thing. We need to make a little stop to a private sector in town. I'll dispose of her there."

Yazoo frowned at Kadaj's order, but he didn't question. With one look at Ria's battered form, and wounded side, the middle Remnant sighed.

'Sorry Ria. I can't exactly disobey Kadaj and his orders. This is goodbye.'

A/N: Not only did I made Cloud gullible in chapter 11, I turned him into an insensitive dumbass in this chapter. Or maybe that's just me. Tell me what you think. I really think I turned him into an insensitive dumbass. I'm so sorry. I also apologize if some of our beloved FFVII characters are OOC in this fic. The story kind of demands it.